TN Sports Wagering Council Takes Action Against Illegal Sportsbook

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council through its executive director issued $50,000 in fines Tuesday to Bovada.lv, an unlicensed and therefore illegal sportsbook operating in Tennessee. Bovada failed to comply with cease and desist letters delivered to addresses in Curaçao, and Council investigators placed wagers through Bovada’s platform on three separate occasions, including as recently as October 16, 2024. The Sports Gaming Act authorizes the Council to impose a $10,000 fine for the first offense of accepting wagers without a license, which rises to $15,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses may lead to the imposition of a $25,000 fine for each occurrence, an occurrence being a single wager accepted in Tennessee. In the cease and desist letters, the Council ordered Bovada to allow all Tennessee users to withdraw any funds currently held by the unlicensed sportsbook. “The Sports Wagering Council recommends that Tennessee users of Bovada withdraw their funds immediately,” Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said. “Our primary role is the protection of the public interest through a safe, regulated environment, and Tennessee sports bettors need to know that just because they can access a sports betting website or app inside Tennessee’s...